Archive for July 2025
Turning points and detours
by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis.—My current “new” project is a novel called Upstairs, the sixth in a series of smalltown crime novels featuring police chief Jim Otis. I’m fifteen chapters deep in a story that, according to my plan, tops out at thirty chapters. Of course, I don’t believe that latter number for a minute,……
Read MoreThe Windrip Prophecy
by David Benjamin “An honest propagandist for any Cause, that is, one who honestly studies and figures out the most effective way of putting over his Message, will learn fairly early that it is not fair to ordinary folks—it just confuses them—to try to make them swallow all the true facts that would be suitable…
Read More“You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve?”
by David Benjamin “I want you all to get up out of your chairs, I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, stick your head out and yell, ‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’” —Howard Beale (Peter Finch), Network, 1976 MADISON, Wis.—Everybody recognizes…
Read MoreThe Dr. Seuss effect
by David Benjamin “On the fifteenth of May, in the jungle of Nool, In the heart of the day, in the cool of the pool, He was splashing … enjoying the jungle’s great joys … When Horton the elephant heard a small noise … ” ―Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who MADISON, Wis.—I’ve always believed—and……
Read MoreMean girls, then and now
by David Benjamin “The dogs were tearing at the girls’ bodies. Irma [Grese] came closer to observe what they were doing. Her eyes were bloodshot. The sight of the blood seemed to intoxicate her. She panted. She was sexually excited—everybody could see that. We stood in a trance, as at a gladiatorial combat.” —Gisella Perl,…
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